In the first of more parts than we planned, we lay the foundation and start into Marvel Comics crossovers, looking at what a crossover really is (and isn't, and is/isn't perceived to be), including how Marvel invented them (no, seriously).

Recorded after our two-part discussion of DC crossover events, this would usually go in the Test Pattern "extras" feed, but this is a major crossover event, so we're including this tie-in you didn't ask for with everything else in your subscription box. Play along with the Marvel Trivia game to tide you over until this weekend (no fair Googling!).

The second part of our intra-show crossover event covering DC and Marvel crossover events (all of them), takes us from Zero Hour (1994) to the New52-generating Flashpoint (2011). Part 2 of ???

The first part of our intra-show crossover event covering DC and Marvel crossover events (all of them), starting with DC's "Big Bang" that set their standard, Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985). We leave you hanging off the cliff just before Zero Hour (1994). Part 2 posts tomorrow. Part 1 of ???

We dispel some misconceptions about this week's major Secret Wars announcement from Marvel and tease our podcast-redefining, multi-episode, intra-show-crossover event, where we will do an overview of major crossover events at DC and Marvel since they began back in the 1970's. Audio Quality Notice: This short bonus episode was recorded over tethered LTE with Skype calling John's cellphone, with him literally "phoning it in", but in peak form.

We memorialize some great comics cancelled in 2014 with a truly Giant-Size episode that is full of complete runs you can start and finish (for the most part) right now.

Usagi Yojimbo celebrated a 30th Anniversary in 2014. In our first single-creator spotlight episode, we celebrate Miyamoto Usagi and his creator, Stan Sakai.

In our version of an Annual issue, we deconstruct end-of-year lists by just talking about comic-related topics, happenings, and trends that we're thankful for in 2014.

John and Moisés hosted two "sketch duels" at Dallas Fan Days this fall. One of them lent itself nicely to a light "creator sampler" episode. The other was an unmitigated, glorious, and hilarious disaster. Left-to-Right: Crain, Raney, Banks Audio levels and quality are a little dicey in a few places due to multiple not-as-reliable-as-we'd-like source files. This episode has gone through more post-production than any episode of any ESN show yet.

Marvel announced their movie slate through 2019, and it's full of characters that you may not know very well. John and Moisés blow through a ton of rapid-fire reading recommendations to the extent we can predict (or not) what parts of comic lore the movies will use.